Peruvian 2011 shipments rise marginally

Shipments of cement in the Peruvian market totaled 8.9Mt between January and December 2011, 2.42 per cent more than that recorded in 2010, when (8.98Mt), reported the Association of Cement Producers (Asocem). Growth is mainly attributed to private demand.

During that period the cement production was 8.5Mt representing a YoY of 2.41 per cent, when it reached 8.3Mt.

Full-year cement exports reached 67,512t, a rise of 288.13 per cent over the same period in 2010 (17,394t).

Therefore, total cement dispatches (domestic sales plus exports) in 2011 totaled 8,36Mt an increase of 3.03 per cent over the same period of 2010, (8.12Mt).

Analyst at Scotiabank’s Economic Studies Department, Paul Nano, commented: "The slowdown in the construction sector had two reasons, first is the decline of public investment where there was not the same level of work as in 2010, and the other reason is the election period, because normally when presidential elections, the economy tends to grow at a slower pace, " he told the Andina news agency.

However, he said that the last quarter of 2011 saw an acceleration in the local dispatches. In the 4Q11, cement dispatches grew 5.8 per cent, surpassing growth of 1.7 per cent in 3Q11.

The first few months of 2012 are expected to see increased domestic demand due to private sector housing projects being restarted.